A Fatal Attachment (27 page)

He said they decided to change places.

This was possible because Gavin had been out of regular service life for more than four years. They knew that someone on the ship would know that this was not Gavin Hoddle, but they thought that this could be kept quiet, especially in the chaos of sudden embarkation for war. The man who phoned me said that two people on the
Sir Galahad
knew of the deception: one was killed the same day as ‘Gavin,' and he was the other. He said he was sure my son would contact me soon.

I didn't believe it at the time. I remember crying into the phone, but not really believing him. I didn't tell Andy, because he had been so devastated by Gavin's death, and it seemed cruel to arouse hopes on the basis of what seemed like a very nasty hoax. But perhaps in the back of my mind there was always the hope that just conceivably Gavin was alive, and out there somewhere under a new name, and would make contact.

As I say, people can be cruel.

Now that Andy has a job I sit here a lot on my own, wondering. I wonder how you and Robert met up. I wonder if your plans to murder Lydia were always spoken of merely as a joke (the police say that's what Robert will plead). I wonder about the reading of Lydia's letter, and the feelings that aroused in you. I wonder if Robert will remain silent if he is found guilty.

Above all I wonder, if I asked to be allowed to pay you a visit, if you would consent to see me. . . .

Thea stopped writing. Of course he would not consent to see her. Why would he want to make contact, now of all times? She was hardly even marginal in his life—in that respect, at least, Lydia's victory had been total.

She read through the letter. Of course it could not be sent. Even if she could be sure it would not be read by the prison authorities, it could not be sent. She could not make an approach, where the approach would clearly be unwelcome. She tore the letter into pieces and threw them into the fire. Then she sat looking at the burning coals until Andy came home from school.

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

A Scandal in Belgravia

A City of Strangers

Death of a Salesperson

Death and the Chaste Apprentice

At Death's Door

The Skeleton in the Grass

The Cherry Blossom Corpse

Bodies

Political Suicide

Fête Fatale

Out of the Blackout

Corpse in a Gilded Cage

School for Murder

The Case of the Missing Brontë

A Little Local Murder

Death and the Princess

Death by Sheer Torture

Death in a Cold Climate

Death of a Perfect Mother

Death of a Literary Widow

Death of a Mystery Writer

Blood Brotherhood

Death on the High C's

Death of an Old Goat

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 1992 by Robert Barnard

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher.

Scribner
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com

ISBN 0-684-19412-0

ISBN 978-1-4767-3729-4 (eBook)